polite

adjective

po·lite pə-ˈlīt

politer; politest

Synonyms of polite next

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of advanced culture

: marked by refined cultural interests and pursuits especially in arts and belles lettres

: showing or characterized by correct social usage

: marked by an appearance of consideration, tact, deference, or courtesy

: marked by a lack of roughness or crudities

polite literature

politely adverb

politeness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for polite

civil, polite, courteous, gallant, chivalrous mean observant of the forms required by good breeding.

civil often suggests little more than the avoidance of overt rudeness.

owed the questioner a civil reply

polite commonly implies polish of speech and manners and sometimes suggests an absence of cordiality.

if you can't be pleasant, at least be polite

courteous implies more actively considerate or dignified politeness.

clerks who were unfailingly courteous to customers

gallant and chivalrous imply courteous attentiveness especially to women.

gallant suggests spirited and dashing behavior and ornate expressions of courtesy.

a gallant suitor of the old school

chivalrous suggests high-minded and self-sacrificing behavior.

a chivalrous display of duty

Examples of polite in a Sentence

It was polite of him to hold the door for them. Please be polite to the guests. It isn't polite to interrupt people when they're talking. She received some polite applause despite the mistakes in her performance.

Recent Examples on the Web Is there a polite way to discourage this type of unwanted visitor at our dinners? —

Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 And after three seasons of showing all the sins hidden behind the polite veneer of Scandinavian-Americans in the Upper Midwest, this new story focused on a war between Black and Italian mobsters. —

Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023 And while the three have had combative exchanges on the debate stage, Friday's roundtable was polite and featured no crosstalk or insults. —

Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2023 Put that dress on, grin and bear it, and be polite and gracious on her wedding day. —

Shon Faye, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2023 But instead of souring their interest in one another, the polite bickering ignites a long-lasting romance. —

Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023 That’s a polite way of saying MESA needs to raise more money for the men’s basketball team to remain nationally competitive. —

Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2023 Your letter should be polite, professional, and just a few short paragraphs in length. —

Andrew Fennell, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Ivanka’s testimony, meanwhile, was muted and polite. —

Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.